_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
After the above events, on Wednesday, the sixteenth day of the month of
April, of the said year one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight,
the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and
captain-general for his Majesty in the Western Islands, being in
the river of Borney, where there was a great settlement of houses;
and going into a large house, said to belong to the old king of the
said river, found there the said Simagat, a chief of Balayan, and a
vassal of his Majesty, who was one of the messengers sent to the said
king of Borney with two peace-letters. When questioned through the
interpreter, Juan Ochoa Ttabudo, he told what happened in regard to
the letters given them for the said king of Borney, to whom he gave
them; what answer they made to him concerning them; what insults and
ill-treatment they inflicted on him; and what befell Simagachina,
chief of Balayan, who accompanied him. He declared that what happened
is as follows. On Sunday night, the thirteenth of this present month
of April, this witness and the said Simagachina left the flagship,
embarking in one of his Majesty's fragatas, together with six Moros,
five of whom were from Balayan and one from Tondo. They took two
letters from his Lordship for the king of Borney, one written in the
Bornean tongue and the other in that of Manila. When this witness,
and the others abovesaid, had landed in the port of the said river of
Borney where a number of war vessels had gathered to prevent the fleet
of his Majesty from making the said port; and when he had come to a
large galley under command of a Bornean named Salalila--the latter,
on seeing them, ordered them placed in the said galley, and took from
this witness a gold _calenbiga_ that he wore, which weighed about
seven taes of gold. Another Indian, unknown to him, took another from
the said arm, and several other ornaments were seized from him. They
took from him a gold box, two small chains, and another smaller one,
all together weighing eleven taes. On taking away his garment, they
discovered the letters given him by his Lordship. As soon as the
said Salalila and the other Borneans with him saw the said letters,
they laid hands upon them, exclaiming: "What knavery is this that
you have here? It is some sorcery to fight with us." This witness
replied that they were only some letters for the king of Borney from
the Spaniards. Thereupon the said Salalila read the letter that was
written in the Manila tongue, and, after reading it, said jestingly,
"This letter is from Portuguese," and tore it into pieces. The other
letter, written in the Bornean tongue, the said Salalila sent,
together with this witness, in a small boat with certain Bornean
Moros to the king of Borney. The said Magachina and the other Moros
remained in the said fleet with the said Salalila. About three o'clock
next morning they reached the house where the said old king of Borney
lived. The said Borneans gave him the said letter in the presence of
this witness. A Bornean Moro read it; and, when he came to the end,
the said king remarked: "So this is the way that your people write to
me, who am king; while the Castilians are _capie_"--that is to say,
in the Bornean language "men"--"who have no souls, who are consumed
by fire when they die, and that, too, because they eat pork;" and
after certain other words, the said king asked him what he would do,
and if he wished to return to the Castilians. This witness answered,
"No, I do not wish to go now, so that I shall not be killed on the
way." Thereupon the said king of Borney said to him: "Remain here;
and, after the Spaniards are conquered, stay here, and marry. I will
give you a galley to command." This witness, for fear that he would
be killed, answered, "Yes, I will do as you wish." Thereupon the king
asked him as to the ships and people of the Castilians, and this
witness told him that there were eight galleys, thirty-two vireys,
and seven hundred Spaniards under the supreme command of Captain
Bassar. Then the king asked how many pieces of artillery were in each
ship, and their size, and how large a ball each one carried. This
witness answered that each galley carried in its bow three large
pieces; and that four galleys threw balls as large as his head, and
the others balls about one-half that size. He asked further if they
carried broadside pieces, or if they carried any that one man might
take alone; and this witness answered that they did not. Likewise he
asked him what weapons the Spaniards carried, and whether the governor
were young or old. This witness answered that each Spaniard had one
coat-of-mail, two arquebuses (one large and one small), a buckler,
sword and dagger, and a lance; and that the said governor was not
old. He asked him the governor's name, and whether he was recently
come from España. This witness answered that he did not know his
name, but that all called him Captain Basar, and that he had come
two years ago to Manila. Then he asked him for the master-of-camp,
Juan de Salcedo, and for many Castilians of Manila. This witness told
him that the said Juan de Salcedo was dead. He also asked him what
Spaniards remained in Manila, about their fort and artillery, whether
ships came annually from España, and what soldiers they brought. This
witness said that many Spaniards remained in Manila, for ships came
from Castilla every year bringing many people, all of whom remained;
and that they had built a very large fort containing forty pieces of
artillery. Many other things which he could not remember were asked
him, after which the said king dismissed him; whereupon this witness
went to the house of a relative of his, on the other side of the
river. As he was finishing his breakfast, for it was early morning,
about nine or ten Moros entered, bound him, and took him to the said
house of the king, who asked him anew many questions concerning the
Spaniards, which he does not remember, except that they threatened him
that, if he did not tell the truth, they would kill him, and whether
the said letter was witchcraft. Upon this witness asserting that he had
told the truth, they took him to the prison and thrust both his feet
in the stocks, put a chain about his neck, bound his hands, and set
a Moro named Tumanpate to guard him. While in this condition, a Moro
named Haguandatan entered the said prison, drew a Moro dagger three
palms long, and said to him: "Have no fear. I killed Magachina thus,
and gave him a dagger-thrust near the neck, from which he died." He
was a slave of the king and turned to go, saying that he was going
back to the sea and the fleet to fight with the Castilians. Then many
other Moros came in to kill him, but the jailer forbade it and would
not allow them to kill him. Afterward, about nightfall, he heard many
shouts and outcries from the said river; and, upon his asking the
said jailer what it meant, the latter told him that the Bornean fleet
was fleeing from the Spaniards. Thereupon this witness asked that he
be not killed, and said that he would give him money. Accordingly,
at night the jailer took him from the said prison to a house of his
up the river and told him that the king of Borney and many Indians
had fled up the river; and that he should write a note, so that his
relative should pay his ransom. While here, his relative aforesaid,
named Siandi, came and gave him a culverin [24] of three quintals
weight, with other Spaniards--he alone remaining, for the other man,
his relative, turned back, leaving this witness in the power of the
Spaniards. Likewise this witness declared that when they took him
to the river of Borney, he met on the way a son of the said king of
Borney who was going to fight with the said fleet. This man told him
where he was going, and how the said letters had come to his father;
and thus let him go. And this is the extent of his knowledge, and of
those events. It is the truth. Having read it to him and given him to
understand it, he affirmed and ratified it. He is about thirty years
old. He did not sign it, but the said interpreter did. He said it is
known that the Borneans killed his companion, the said Simagachina.
_Juan Ochoa Ttabudo_
Before me:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
And after the above events, on the same day, month, and year,
above-mentioned, the said governor in the said flagship and with the
other galleys and small ships in his convoy, entered the bar of the
said river of Borney and came to the village, where it was reported
that the said king of Borney resided; where also were the fragatas of
his Majesty and other vessels that had entered the port, in pursuit of
the said Borneans. And having arrived at the said village with certain
soldiers and troops, the governor entered its chamber, and it remained
for him to give two taes of gold and four slaves. Then the prisoner
was released. Upon this witness going down the river with another
relative of his, named Sicollao, they met a Spaniard named Diego
Martin, and joined a large house which was there, and below the said
river, said to be the house of a son of the said king of Borney. This
house contained a large and well-finished piece of artillery, and a
number of culverins, _frecones_, and other offensive arms. Advancing
toward the houses where it was reported that the old king of Borney
lived, near the said house, they saw a large galley with more than
twenty-four benches on each side. It contained a large swivel-gun and
another smaller piece, both loaded, and having on them some _quinas,_
[25] which appeared to be the arms of the king of Portugal, and each
one furnished with two handles. The said galley contained also four
other culverins mounted in the place where the cargo is stored; and
the galley carried a quantity of ammunition for the said pieces. Some
four or five galleots of sixteen or eighteen benches each were found
also, with many falcons, and culverins, and one of them with a half
_sacre._ [26] After disembarking, the said governor entered a house
reported to be that of the old king of Borney. There he found a large
gourd filled with papers, among which were three letters--two written
in the characters and language of Borney, one bearing a signature,
namely, "Don Leonis Pereyra Martin Ferreyras;" the third was written in
Portuguese, beginning, "Noble and honored king of Borneo." It was dated
at Ebora, March seven, one thousand five hundred and seventy-three,
and bore a signature, namely, "El Rey" ["The King"]. By order of his
Lordship, I, the said notary, took possession of the said letters. The
said governor went also by land to a house, wherein was kept the
gunpowder. He found there eighteen Bornean jars filled with powder,
twenty-four filled with saltpeter, and many loaves of sulphur; more
than five hundred lances and _conpites_, with which the said natives
shoot; many shields, pikes with iron heads, a great quantity of small
and large iron balls of many kinds, and many arrows; and two or three
jars of poisonous herbs. Also at the door of the said arsenal was a
piece of artillery, a broken swivel-gun (also bearing the arms of the
king of Portugal), with its large handles; four other _fresones_, large
and long, with four chambers; two cannon-cases for artillery, one very
large and without any piece; and a stone ball, slightly thicker than
a man's body. Another large house, said to belong to Indian chiefs
and captains, was entered. A number of culverins and some gunpowder
were found there. Then the said governor went to the mosque located
in the said town, where he found a large chair, upon which, they say,
sat the preacher who expounded the doctrine of Mahoma to the said
Borneans. Near this chair was a block of marble containing painted
and gilded pictures of idols. This and the said chair the governor
ordered taken from the said mosque, as well as a trough which the
Borneans said contained water wherein whoever bathed went straight
to heaven at his death. This trough was removed by order of the said
governor, along with other articles, and the idols contained in the
mosque. There were collected also throughout the said town a great
number of projectiles, falcons, and culverins. This ammunition and
artillery was ordered to be collected and kept by the said governor,
so that the said Borneans could not use it. All that happened on this
said day passed before me and many others. I certify thereto--the
treasurer Salvador de Aldave, the ensign Juan de Gamboa, Luis de
Garnica, Francisco Chacon, and many others being witnesses.